I had a high school english teacher that wouldn't let me off the hook easy. She would come to my study hall and gave me a chance to do the required work. The fact that she took the time to do that meant alot.
Gary,
That is what mentoring is about, being able to give to others from your experiences.
Cynthia,
What I think is great about your story is that you can give the details of why your mentors were mentors in your life. Knowing that you can pass those qualities along to your students.
When I moved to Florida 23 years ago I became a realtor. I then took a very intense real estate sales course.
Several times during the course the instructor expressed his concern that I was not working up to my potential. Even though I was completing the course sucessfully he felt I could be doing a lot better. Near the end of the eight-week program the instructor finally dropped me from the program. He said I was wasting both my time and his. He explained that I could repeat the course in the future but I would have to come back with a more serious attitude.
It was devastating at the time. I was very angry. But that experience was the catalyst for a lot of sole searching and emormous change in my life. I realized that he was right. This was the turning point for me that has resulted in a very sucessful and rewarding future since then.
I owe a lot to that teacher. He could have left me alone and I would have gotten through the course just fine. But he really cared. A lot more than I did!
I had an English teacher in high school who was genuine and made no apologies for it. He had a profound influence on me to become an educator because he cared and showed he cared in many thoughtful and unsuspecting ways. I have actually modeled some of my techniques after him. After eleven years in this career, I have seen some of the same admirations I had for him come full circle in my direction.
The most influential mentors were those who who were always calm,soft-spoken,yet direct and firm.
I had a couple of influences in this area, One was at the school that I am working at now that I was a student at a long time ago -- He said that "I could do ANYTHING I set my mind to " and he was right -- A few yeasr later I'm now teaching at the school that I graduated from!!
I was never interested in becoming a teacher/instructor while I was in public school. Although I enjoyed the experiance, the teachers I had did not inspire me to emulate them. After high school when I attended an auto tech school, I was profoundly impressed by the personal attention I receievd. This became my inpiration to become an auto/diesel instructor myself and I try to use the techniques I observed in my own classes.
I had a mentor that I both loved and hated. He taught me a lot but held me back financially for many years. Who knows how my life would have been different. For all I know it could have been better without him.
I try to emulate the actions and techniques I observed during my own post-secondary training. These instructors (not unlike myself) were not professionally trained "teachers" but rather current or former technicians in the field of my studies. Their "real world" experiences, effectively demomstrated and simply explained made a profound impression on me.
When I first started out as a technician my mentor was the shop forman at the dealership. He didn't just treat me like one of the techs. He got to know me personally and we eventually became friends. Ontop of being one of the smartest techs I've ever known. He was a nice enough guy to want to get to know me -- always asking about my home life -- getting envolved.
The effects it has on me for my role as a career educator is huge. I always try to get to know the students a little and help them with non automotive related problems. This has helped me build a solid relationship with them.
Guy,
This is a great story. Some people have a sense to pick up on individual's potential. This is a great example of mentoring.
Thomas,
This is a great example. We all have the potential to do anything, however we let a lot get in our way. Sometimes we need someone to be there along the way to help.
Albert,
Sometimes we can't see that we are being mentored to, until later. Glad you had a great experience.
I had a teacher in high school that took the time and impacted my life by realizing that as individuals we all go down different paths, for me it was the fascination with automobiles, my father also played a very important role and made me aware that you need to work hard and be responsible.
I agree we all have the power to change our lives. But without the confidence that the mentor gives us sometimes we don't realize it until alot later in life. The reason I turned to education was so I could give back some of my own experiences to help others realize there passions.
Luckily I’ve had several mentors in my career. The common things I learned are to work hard, be honest and be kind. I also learned what NOT to do when I worked at a failing business. Sometimes you learn things in an unexpected way.
I had a teacher at a community college who was late or wanted to leave early or one time didn t show up at all I try to be the opposite of him
James,
This is a great example. Your mentor created a connection with you by simply asking about you and your life. This connection is very important in the career college sector to increase retention.
Jay,
How did each of these individuals play a part as being your mentor? Was it simply by understanding your goals and standing beside you?
